A young working couple in Bangalore discovered the harsh reality of property prices when they attempted to purchase a flat in the city. Despite having two stable incomes and saving for years, they could not afford one. Later, they moved to the United Kingdom and, in just two years, bought an independent three-bedroom house on a single income.
Rising Property Prices
A woman named Neha Sharma shared her story on X, which has since gone viral, highlighting the economic realities of two countries. She was reacting to a post comparing flat purchases in Mumbai and New York. The post read: "2 BHK in Mumbai: INR 3 crore; 2 BHK in New York: INR 4.75 crore. Mumbai: 15x salary (needs 15 years to own); NYC: 5x salary (needs just 5 years to own). This is how insanely broken real estate is in India."
For Neha, this post brought back memories of trying to own a flat in Bangalore. "In Bangalore, with two people's salaries, we had a hard time buying a flat (later we cancelled it)," she recalled. She detailed how she and her partner purchased a house in the UK in just two years on a single income. The property was not a modest starter home but a complete family residence with all amenities.
"Two years after moving to the UK, we bought an independent three-bed house, with all kitchen appliances — gas, fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, oven, carpet, lighting, etc. — with a backyard, good views, and parking," she said.
Transparency in the Buying Process
Other than affordability, Neha expressed that the purchasing process was 100 per cent transparent and that they were not asked for any 'black money'. "No one asked for black money. Bought it on one person's salary. Got a first-time buyer discount. 100 per cent transparency," she added.
In the comments, she also described her nightmare experience in Bangalore: "I had to empty all my savings and ask for favours to buy the flat in BLR — that when we were earning pretty well. Once I met a dealer and he asked me for INR 2 crore as black money. I said to him, 'Sir, if I had INR 2 crore in my account as black money, I wouldn't be sitting here and talking to you.'"
Internet Reacts
The post has gone viral, sparking a larger conversation about property affordability in India. One X user commented: "India is a nightmare for property buyers; we need a massive crash to reset this. A lot would be hurt, but it's needed to root out black money fully."
Another agreed: "What you said is absolutely correct. In India, real estate is overinflated because of corruption. It is said that INR 300/sq ft is the commission builders have to give to one person in Bangalore, whom we all know. By paying that amount, builders can loot the public openly."
A third disagreed: "The reason why it's easier to buy a house in the UK is that the down payment required is 5% of the property cost, and interest is 5%. A few years ago, you could buy a house at 1% interest. In India, the down payment is 20%, and the interest is a minimum of 8%." Neha swiftly replied: "It is not this easy. In the UK, people hardly get hikes per year. Also, inflation is increasing. Yes, during COVID, interest rates were very low, but now they are much higher. I am not comparing prices or interest. I am comparing the process and transparency of buying a house."
Her tweet has sparked larger discussions on how property ownership remains out of reach for the average Indian working professional, while in developed Western economies, the same income level provides not just access to homeownership but genuine comfort and financial feasibility.
Disclaimer: The account shared above is based on an individual experience and should not be taken as a general comparison between housing markets in India and the UK. Property prices, affordability, loan eligibility, and buying processes vary widely based on individual financial circumstances, location, and market conditions.
